ONA, WV-One of the most anticipated races in recent memory at Ona Speedway will take place this Saturday, August 21st for the Freedom Used Autos Fly By 40 featuring the stars and cars of the Vores Compact Touring Series. It will mark the first time that America’s premier compact touring series visits Ona and the largest compact race in track history. In addition to the Vores Series, Keaton’s Collision Center Late Models, McCam Builders Modifieds, Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mods, Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stocks, Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro, and Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro will also be in action.
Vores Compact Touring Series Preview
The Vores Compact Touring Series is America’s premier compact touring series, racing at some of America’s most famous short tracks during some of America’s most famous short track racing events. The series has received national fame with it’s media deal that sees many races televised on MAV TV, Speed 51 TV, NBC Sports TrackPass, and FloRacing. The series will bring some of the countries best compact drivers and cars to the track in what is set to be a classic battle between the touring series drivers and the fast Ona U Car regulars.
The preliminary entry list for Saturday’s Freedom Used Autos Fly By 40 features 38 cars from 6 states. In addition to being a standard points race for the series, Saturday will also mark the championship race of the Vores Short Track Challenge Series, a mini-series consisting of tracks on the tour that are under a 1/2 mile. 8 drivers, led by the top 4 drivers in series overall points (Chris Jennings, Tom Gossar, Kyle Frame Trent Gossar), have survived elimination in the previous three rounds of the mini-series to stay alive for the winner take all championship race Saturday. As if the intensity of this race wasn’t already high enough with $1,500 to win, a classic Vores drivers vs Ona drivers battle, and a close Vores championship fight, 8 drivers will look to outduel each other with the driver who finishes ahead of the other 7 drivers winning the Short Track Challenge Series title.
Several Ona drivers are experienced with racing with the Vores Series. Tim Cassidy, Keith Watson, Reuben Fetty, Jacob Bell, Joe Workman, Chris Wheeler, Michael Hughart, and Stephen Kuhn are among some drivers who have experience in Vores races. Last season, Cassidy nearly won against the Vores stars when he finished 3rd in the US Short Track Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway. All of those drivers along with 2021 Ona Speedway race winners Chris Deskins and Nick Fowler along with Jay Workman are on the preliminary entry list for Saturday. Race fans on Saturday can expect to see time trials, a B-Main (Last Chance Qualifiers Race), and the 40 lap feature with the Vores Series.
Keaton’s Collision Center Late Model Preview
Jake Keaton will look to clinch the title on Saturday in the Keaton’s Collision Center Late Model division. Keaton can clinch the title one points race early by finishing ahead of Kenny Parsons. Keaton will also be putting his perfect season on the line again as he heads into Saturday undefeated in the Late Model division. The last Late Model race back on July 10th saw Keaton face his strongest challenge of the season as Brad Coons dueled with him for the lead for much of the race. Keaton and Coons were nearly nose to tail at the checkered flag. Coons, a two time winner last season, will be hungry to return to Ona victory lane. Will we see another Keaton vs Coons duel on Saturday?
McCam Builders Modified Preview
On a night that saw 6 drivers take their first win of the season, veteran driver Jamie Womack scored his first win since 2019 in the McCam Builders Modifieds during the last race on August 7th. With the win, Womack sets himself up as the main challenger to Andy Booten in the race for the 2021 track championship. Booten currently holds a 10 point lead over Womack with only 2 points races remaining. Womack will be looking to gain points on Booten again while Booten will look to stay consistent and give himself a nice cushion heading into the Season Championships on September 11th. With the number of race nights dwindling down in 2021, drivers Steve Hass, Jeremy Cooper, Hubie Hatfield, and Jason Garrett, who all had strong runs last week, will be even hungrier to visit victory lane for the first time this season.
Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mod Preview
Rick Watson and Marty Powers have been in a tight points battle all season long in the Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mods. Both drivers come into Saturday tied for the points lead with only 2 points races remaining. This battle between Watson and Powers may just see it’s most intense race yet as whoever finishes ahead of each other on Saturday will have the points lead heading into the Season Championship race. With so many different winners this season, the Sport Mod class has once again been a class that is impossible to predict a winner. Watson is the only driver who has won more than one race this season with two wins.
Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stock Preview
Just like the Sport Mod class, the Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stock class has only had one repeat winner this season. The last race on August 7th saw veteran driver Kenny Chapman return to victory lane with a daring three wide pass for the win late in the race. It’s that type of close, daring racing that has made the Street Stock class at Ona a fan favorite for many years. With only 2 races remaining in the battle for the track championship, Clark Perry now holds an 8 point lead over Chris Jividen and a 12 point lead over Tommy Rowe. All three of these drivers will be eying the win Saturday but will also be focused on maximizing points and putting themselves in a good position heading into championship night.
Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro Preview
Steve Swann has been the story all season long in the Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro class with 4 feature wins on the season. With Corey Steinbrecher missing the last race and Swann winning, Swann puts himself in position to clinch the track championship on Saturday. All Swann has to do to clinch the track championship is finish no worse than 2 positions behind Tyler Martin. While Swann will look to clinch the championship, he has also found himself in a friendly rivalry with Jake Keaton. Keaton, who debuted a Legends Car June 26th, has finished 2nd in every Legends Car race he has competed in and was nearly nose to tail with Swann at the checkered flag the last race. Saturday has the ingredients for an intense race in this class with Swann looking to clinch and drivers such as Keaton, Tyler Martin, Joe Workman, Thomas Crabtree, Corey Steinbrecher, and more all hungry for their first win of the season with only 4 races left in the season.
Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro Preview
The championship fight in the Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro class is as close and unpredictable as the racing has been all season. Matthew Martin, the only driver to win two races in the class this year, has a narrow 2 point lead over Zach Steele. Steele, a rookie driver who has gained speed each week, scored his first career win last Saturday and quickly elevated himself to Martin’s top challenger. Newton Moore sits third in points only 4 points back while Dale Garrett and Brad Bowen are still within striking distance 12 and 19 points back respectively. The 20 lap feature in this class will be intense as how they finish Saturday will make up the championship scenario heading into the Season Championship Race on September 11th.
Times and Admission Prices
In what is a great deal for the race fans, general admission Saturday is only $15 for ages 15 and up, $10 for ages 11-14, and FREE for ages 10 and under. All access pit passes are only $30 for ages 15 and up, $15 for ages 11-14, and FREE for ages 10 and under. Pit gates will open Saturday at 2:00 pm with practice from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm. General admission gates open at 5:00 pm with qualifying at 6:00 pm and racing at 7:00 pm.
Friday Practice
With the travelers from the Vores Series coming to town, Freedom Used Autos Practice Night will be on Friday, August 20th from 5:00 pm until dark. Pit passes are only $5 and the cost to practice a race car is only $20. Everyone is encouraged to come out for practice night as it is expected to be perhaps the biggest practice night of the season with everyone getting laps before Saturday’s big Vores race.
For more information visit www.onaspeedway.com.
